2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case: Court acquits 37 accused for lack of evidence

A court in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has acquitted 37 accused in the 2013 communal riots case related to the killing of eight people, citing lack of evidence.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Manjula Bhalotiya on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) acquitted 37 accused, observing that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

2013 Muzaffarnagar riots cases | Eight years on, over 1,100 acquitted, just seven convicted

Government counsel Narendra Sharma said a complaint was lodged by one Imran against 110 people, alleging that on September 8, 2013, a mob armed with sharp-edged weapons attacked houses belonging to members of the minority community in Kutba village.

The complainant had also alleged that several houses were set on fire and properties looted during the incident. More than 60 people were killed and r 40,000 displaced in the 2013 communal riots in Muzaffarnagar.